


[1] Home Is Where the Heart Is

by StarGirl235



Series: Isabelle Barnaby (Midsomer Murders) [1]
Category: Midsomer Murders - All Media Types
Genre: Awkward Crush, Barnaby, Crime Drama, Developing Friendships, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Male-Female Friendship, Murder, Police, Season/Series 09, Sister-Sister Relationship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29224269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarGirl235/pseuds/StarGirl235
Summary: Isabelle Barnaby had always looked up to her father as a child and decided to follow in his footsteps. Now a fully-fledged Police Constable after her training up in London, her parents couldn't be more proud. She has directly been transferred back to her hometown of Causton where the young Barnaby has the most awkward of starts when meeting her father's partner DS Ben Jones.
Relationships: Ben Jones (Midsomer Murders)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Isabelle Barnaby (Midsomer Murders) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2145723
Kudos: 2





	1. Welcome Home

_  
"The best relationships_

_usually begin unexpectedly."_

**DISCLAIMER**

I do not own Midsomer Murders or it's characters they belong to ITV. Plot is mine and so is Isabelle.

**NOTE 📝**

I apologise for grammar or plot mistakes in advance. Don't begin pointing it out because I know it's there and will come back to it at a later date. This story is based in the world of Midsomer Murders. This book starts in series 09.

Please either give a kudos or comment it would really mean a lot Thank you x

🙏

**WARNING⚠️**

Mild language

**CAST**

Lily James as Isabelle Barnaby

Jason Hughes as Ben Jones

John Nettles as Tom Barnaby

Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby

Gemma Arterton as Samantha Price

Poppy Drayton as Kelly Archer

Other actors as their respective characters

**PLAYLIST**

Home Is Where the Heart Is - McFly

Bad Day - Daniel Powter

My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

* * *

A three-door blue Ford Focus pulls up onto the drive, a modern two-floor semi-detached Tudor style home with a garage. Soon as the engine cuts off, a blonde woman of that in her late 20's stepped out of the vehicle, closing the car door behind her peering up at the said house, before going to open up the boot, pulling out her suitcase and shutting it closed when suddenly the front door opened.

"Isabelle! My darling girl!" an older woman named by that of Joyce Barnaby comes dashing towards her youngest daughter, embracing her in a loving embrace and pecking her on the cheek, "It's so wonderful to see you!"

"Hello mum," Isabelle returned her mother's embrace and kissed on the cheek.

They both now separate as the eldest enquired, taking hold of her daughters suitcase, "How was the journey up from London?"

"Done it in two hours so pretty good time actually," the younger complied with a shrug as they entered the house, she closing the front door behind both of them leaving Isabelle's suitcase beside it as they wandered into the kitchen.

"That's good then," Joyce went to grab the kettle and filled it with some freshwater, "Fancy a tea or coffee, dear?"

"A tea would be lovely mum thanks," the young blonde leaned against the kitchen counter, as her mother now grabbed some mugs from a white kitchen cupboard as the kettle boiled, "I haven't heard from Cully in awhile how's she been?"

"Oh, you know your sister she's always here, there and everywhere going from one extreme to the next," Joyce plonks a teabag in each cup, "Never likes to sit still for a moment that girl."

"I know, but it's just something me and Cully have in common as sisters," Isabelle smiled fondly in thought, "Our sense of discovery and adventure."

"You both get that from your father," Joyce implied, glancing over her shoulder before pouring boiling water into each mug.

"Get what from me?" the voice of one Thomas Barnaby or Tom in which he is called, questioned from behind both women in the kitchen doorway.

"Nothing dear we were just talking about Cully," Joyce responded simply with a shrug, "Didn't hear you come in. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"I have my ways, and a tea would be lovely thank you, dear," Tom complied, before turning to his youngest daughter and happily beaming, "Is that my Isabelle?"

"Alright dad," he brought her into a tight hug and pulled back slightly to glance down at her with pride.

"Or should I now say, PC Barnaby?"

"Dad," the younger woman groaned starting to get embarrassed.

"What? I'm just excited for my daughter to be joining my department at Causton that's all."  
  


-*-

After having caught up with her parents, Isabelle had decided to catch up with a few old school friends in Causton town centre for some drinks and let her hair down before starting her first shift at the station in a few days.

"Izzy!" A redhead by the name of Kelly screamed with excitement running towards her and tightly hugging her, "Look, Sammy, it's Izzy!"

"Yes, I can see that Kels," Sam responded with obvious sarcasm and rolling her eyes, before looking to Isabelle, "What are you drinking Izzy?"

"A glass of red would be lovely Sam," the young woman answered as she sat down at the table with Kelly.

"Okay one red coming up," the brunette looked to her other friend, "Kels?"

"I'll have red to Sam," Kelly replied with a smile.

"How about I just a get a bottle of red instead?" Samantha proposed, "I quite fancy one now myself."

"Alright just one bottle," Isabelle insisted sternly, gesturing at her friend.

"Alright, girls one bottle of vino coming up."

It was awhile later and let's just say Isabelle had been more than one bottle of wine too many which she'll really regret tomorrow morning.

"Okay girls," Isabelle gets to her feet, wobbling slightly, "Next bottle is on me!" swerving as she approached the bar, "A bottle of red wine, please."

"Think you and your friends have had enough don't you," a man with a subtle Welsh twang implied not far from her sat upon a bar stool a beer in hand. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with light brown hair, warm grey eyes and had to say he was rather attractive if she did say so herself.

"No," the young blonde shook her head, "Besides, we're celebrating my first night back in Causton, and I'm starting my new job in a few days."

"What job is that then?" the man asked somewhat interested.

"A PC at Causton Police Station, my dad, is a DCI there," Isabelle replied with a shrug, just as the wine bottle and glasses are put on the bar before her.

"Well, congratulations," the man raised his pint glass in a toast to her before taking a sip, "I bet your dad is very proud of you following in his footsteps."

"Thanks," she nodded and smiled a slight red tinge on her cheeks, "Oh, he's over the moon."

"Izzy," Sam's hand came and rested upon the girl's shoulder, "Let's leave that last bottle. Yeah, I've already called a taxi for Kelly and me," she now frowned, "How are you getting home you drove here, didn't you?"

"I'll drop her home," the man offered from beside Isabelle.

"Ooh, got yourself an admirer, Izzy?" Kelly comes up swaying and slurring, an arm wrapping around her shoulder.

"Taxi for Sam?" called a man entering the pub, probably having left the metre on and the engine running outside.

"Alright, that's us," Sam pulls the blonde into a brief hug and kissed her cheek, "See you soon, Izzy."

"See ya Iz," Kelly gives her another hug and a drunken kiss on the cheek.

With that Isabelle's friends stumbled out of the pub, before she glances at the man beside her starting to feel a little nauseous, "Still up for taking me home?" that's when she registered that she still hadn't asked his name, "Sorry, how rude of me, I didn't ask what your name was?"

"Ben," he simply answered before also turning to repeat the young blonde's question in kind, "What's yours?"

"Nice, to meet you, Ben," she held out her hand, which she firmly shook, "I'm Isabelle, but most call me Izzy."

"Now Izzy," he gets up from his bar stall, "Shall I take you home?"

"Yes, please," Isabella hiccuped slightly, feeling some burning liquid in her throat and that wasn't a good thing in her books that she was going to throw up at some point.

After having to let Isabelle gather her belongings from the pub, Ben drove the young blonde woman to the address she gave him but halfway through the journey she began to feel a little more queasy than before.

"You alright there?" Ben side glanced at the young woman in concern who was starting to look quite peaky.

"Think I'm going to be sick," Isabella leaned her head back against the backrest of the passenger seat, eyes closed and took deep breaths, "But I don't want to do that until I get home."

"If you want me to pull over just tell me," Ben implied that he was willing to stop if need be.

She heaved slightly without warning the burning rising in her throat, "Pull over! Pullover!"

With a screech in of his car tires pulling to the side, Isabelle quickly yanked the passenger door open and dashed out bent over and threw up onto the side of the road. A hand-pulled back her hair away from her face as she continued to be sick

"Ugh," she spat onto the dirty ground once finally finished, staying down for a few more seconds before standing upright and wobbling a little as Ben let go of her hair.

"Here," he held out a tissue to her, taking it with a drunken grateful smile.

After that, Isabelle doesn't remember much after having dozed off in Ben's car, him helping her to the front door of her home and head hitting the coolness of a pillow against her warm skin. With that she was out like light, thinking nothing about how handsome that Ben fellow was.


	2. Awkward Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay anyway, guys here is the next chapter. We are starting in episode one of series 9 of Midsomer Murders: The House in the Woods where Isabelle's first day at Causton Police Station is going to be anything but straightforward.

Isabelle was up bright and early for the start of her first day at Causton Police Sation, hair tied back in a neat bun, white shirt crisp underneath her uniform jumper and checkered cravat perfectly straight. She gave herself one last look in the wall mirror and smiled with pride nodding her head in approval. Walking over to her bed, she went to grab her police hat and backpack.

She headed down the staircase just as the post came through the letterbox went to pick it up off the floor and headed into the kitchen—the scent of freshly toasted bread and brewed coffee wafting up Isabelle's nose.

"Morning, mum," the young woman greeted lovingly, placing the mail on the breakfast bar, "Post for you."

"Morning, Isabelle dear," Joyce smiled gratefully at her daughter, "Thank you, I thought that I heard the letterbox go," she glanced at her daughter who placed her police hat and backpack beside her father's briefcase on the kitchen island, "Now let me have a look at you."

"Mum," the younger woman blushed and went to stand before her mother.

"I remember when you were little and used to tell me how much you wanted to be in the police like your father," Joyce smiled fondly, straightening out her daughter's shirt collar, "That day became more real when you graduated just a few weeks ago, and like I told you then I'm proud of what you have become," she cupped her daughters face gazing at her with pride, "Now how about some breakfast before you and your father leave?"

"Sure, I'll just grab some toast," Isabelle went to grab a plate and sat at the breakfast bar taking two triangle slices of toast to form the toast rack grabbing hold of the knife poking out of a jar of blackberry jam, spreading it on evenly on the pieces of toast before returning the knife and takes a bite savouring the sweetness of the jam.

"Morning, Isabelle dear," he stopped to take a look at his daughter, "Or shall I start calling you PC Barnaby now."

"Dad," she pretended to complain, as he lovingly pecked her cheek, making the younger woman blush.

"Now, any post for me today?" Tom now went to peer over his wife's shoulder just as she opened a letter with her name on it.

"Nobody loves you today, sorry," Joyce opens the letter and begins to read it over silently with her eyes.

"What? No one?" He inquired, still looking over his wife's shoulder, "I find that hard to believe. What have you got?" Tom now sees what it is Joyce was reading with interest, "Ooh, Midsomer Museum."

"It's the conservation group," Joyce informed taking her daughter's finished plate over to the sink just as the younger Barnaby went to glance at the letter her father was also interested in, "I'm going to help with the survey."

"What? Hedgehogs, badgers and all that?" Isabelle inquired with a frown equal as her fathers.

"Its the built environment," she returned at the breakfast bar to explain, "Architectural conservation."

"Ohh, Giles Cato," read out loud with interest once again before asking, "He's the custodian of our built environment now, is he?" he then looked to Isabelle, "Ready to leave in a moment?"

"Yeah, whenever you are," Isabelle goes past her parents to grab her bag and police hat.

"He's going to make an inventory of at-risk buildings," Joyce went on to explain, "Factories, barns, old cottages before the developers get in and think I might like to help."

Tom made a noise of concern and Isabelle rolled her eyes knowing well enough she was probably hinting at something, "It's not a pretext for house hunting," is it?"

Joyce looked back down at the letter, but the other two could tell she was smiling knowingly, "Well, you never know what you might find."

"No," Tom replied with a shake of his head, grabbing his briefcase and suit jacket before greeting her farewell, "Bye."

"Bye mum," Isabelle, quickly pecked her mother's cheek and followed after her father.

-*-

Both Barnaby's pulled up at Causton Police about ten minutes later they both got out of the car shutting the doors closed behind them. Tom opened up the car boot, grabbing his briefcase before looking to his daughter with a genuine smile and asked, "Looking forward to your first official day as a PC Isabelle dear?"

"Yes of course dad," she nodded, grabbing her backpack and police hat from the boot, "The last time I was here was when I took my entrance exam to qualify for the academy in London," Isabelle recalled placing the hat on her head as she glanced over at the familiar building not too far away.

Tom recalled with a nod, before going on to inform her, "Well it's changed a lot since then that's why Superintendent Cotton has arranged for one of the senior Constables to be partnered with you temporarily and to give you a tour of the main station."

"Dad surely it hasn't changed that much," I the young woman implied with a frown as she grabbed her backpack slinging one strap over her right shoulder and dad shut the boot locking the car with his keys, "Besides that there are the smaller stations dotted around the county I have to get familiar with as well."

With that, both of them headed towards the station, and the young police constable bid her father goodbye as he headed towards his department. She was told to meet the officer in question at reception, where criminals are being booked in, and members of the public waited to make complaints or give information on a crime.

Moving out the way of someone she accidentally bumps into a solid figure of a man wearing a similar police uniform, "Oh, sorry," it's when she stepped back to glance up and apologise to the man in question Isabelle's jaw instantly dropped open, stood before her was Ben from the pub, handsome Ben, Ben. He took her home and had held her hair back when she'd been sick.

"I know that the Superintendent told me I'd be in charge of looking after a new Constable today," Ben raised his eyebrow at the younger woman and folded his arms in front of him, "Then I remembered you telling me Izzy about that a few days ago when you were blinding drunk."

"Oh, God don't remind me, " Isabelle muttered her cheeks tinged red with embarrassment, briefly shutting her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, "Because the last thing I remember from that night was throwing up and falling asleep had a hell of a hangover the next morning."

"Not surprised by the amount of wine you and your mates drank," Ben implied, as she now followed on his lead beside him.

"Who are you, my dad?" Isabelle scoffed with disbelief, before glancing sideways at him to admit truthfully with a slight shrug, "Besides, maybe it wasn't the best of introductions."

"Tell you what, let's start with a clean slate," Ben stopped walking and so did Isabelle as he turned to face her holding out his hand a welcoming smile upon his features, "PC Ben Jones nice to meet you."

Isabelle went to return the smile and firmly shook his hand as she reintroduced herself, "Nice to meet you, PC Jones, I'm PC Isabelle Barnaby, but most call me Izzy."

They let go and proceeded walking not caring about the looks some of the other officers had given them, "Right, so how about we continue about the tour?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," Isabelle smiled and nodded in agreement but stopping once again to inquire, "Ben, one more thing before we continue."

"What's that?" He asked.

"If you ever meet my dad, " Isabelle insisted in response, "please don't tell him about how we met."

"Of course I won't," he confirmed with a smile which soon turned into a grin, "Doesn't mean that I can't keep reminding you about it though."

"Shut up, Jones," she feigned with a gasp before playfully nudging him both of them letting out a small laugh as they walked together.


End file.
